Conceptualization of the photon for quanta of structured light

David L. Andrews

doi:10.1117/12.2550305

24 February 2020 Conceptualization of the photon for quanta of structured light

David L. Andrews

Proceedings Volume 11297, Complex Light and Optical Forces XIV; 1129702 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2550305
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2020, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The development of optical modes with intrinsic structure has significantly redirected attention to the established concept and fundamental physics of the photon. In particular, to accommodate the modal structure of beams with transverse structure, two aspects of conventional representation invite special modification: the mathematical formulations, and figurative depictions. Reappraisals of the former highlight known deficiencies in simple plane wave mode expansions, at the price of associating the properties of individual quanta with macroscopic beam parameters wrought by the physical optics. Experimental proofs that such features do indeed reside in individual photons lead to conceptual problems, yet it is clear that alternative viewpoints engender still deeper difficulties. Such quandaries are also evident in the variety of diagrammatic representations used for structured radiation. Though such depictions cannot ever adequately represent the quantum physics, their incautious use can become seriously misleading, misrepresenting the underlying mathematics and supporting wrong conclusions. This analysis aims to expose and underscore some issues that invite closer attention.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

David L. Andrews "Conceptualization of the photon for quanta of structured light", Proc. SPIE 11297, Complex Light and Optical Forces XIV, 1129702 (24 February 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2550305

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